The Most Beautiful Years
Ashley Thomas was born in New York City and raised in Virginia. “I spent my whole life planning to become a teacher. My paternal grandmother, a NYC public school teacher for 35 years, inspired me—she taught me to read and write, and I developed a love for reading that I wanted to instill in children.”
Ashley attended Hostos Community College, included childhood education in her studies, and earned her Associate’s Degree in liberal arts in June 2017. She went on to intern at a public school, where she was struck with how effectively a school social worker intervened in a classroom crisis. “It occurred to me that I could help more people as a social worker than as a teacher.” She enrolled in Lehman College to major in social work.
“I enjoyed the connections I made in the social work program, and PowHERful helped me to focus my efforts and attention. The material was very broad and I was confident that my skills would be transferable to any work environment. It was as a social work intern, tasked with creating a filing system for client documents, that I discovered I had a knack for administrative work. Talking to my PowHERful mentor regularly gave me insight and clarity about which direction I wanted my life to go.”
Ashley received her bachelor’s degree in social work in May 2021. Then, following many months of Covid restrictions and time at home, she needed to stretch and, ever curious, applied to an emergency medical technician (EMT) training program. “I excelled, getting straight A’s on all of my assignments and exams. Unfortunately, I discovered I had a ridiculous fear of bodily fluids, particularly blood.” But she didn’t let this discourage her. She strove to put to advantage her bachelor’s degree and love of administration, and found a position that’s a tremendous fit. Ashley now works as an administrative assistant for Services for the UnderServed, or S:US.
“My job site is called Jerome Court, it’s located in the Bronx. Jerome Court is a supportive housing program that supports individuals and families as they transfer out of shelters and into permanent housing. Right now, my days are split between covering all facets of administrative tasks in the mornings and case management in the afternoons.
Ashley has found that her educational experience has served as an excellent foundation for her current job. “I look forward to growing with S:US and one day joining the ranks of upper management in an executive administrative role.” She continues, “The PowHERful Foundation has been immensely helpful throughout my journey. I’m eternally grateful for the mentorship and financial support I’ve received.
Sigmund Freud once said, ‘One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful,’ and I don’t believe it could have been said any better. There’s beauty in the journey and the destination if you look.”